Bath Time
by Kienova
Summary: Angela's first bath
He wasn't sure of the culprit, whether it be adrenalin or exhaustion, but regardless, Patrick couldn't shift the smile off his face the entire morning as he managed to settle his list of patients and employ a locum to cover his practice and the maternity home for the next week. When he returned home he found the house quiet, Timothy evidently either out with friends or in his room. Shelagh, however, was sitting on the floor, a bundle of pink blankets in her arms and a basin of water next to her.

"I feel so silly," she said in greeting as he dropped his bag, hanging up his coat before crossing the floor to sit down next to her. The baby squirmed slightly, caught between sleep and wakefulness, a tiny fist waving around until Shelagh caught it between her fingers, a soft smile painted on her features. Patrick wrapped an arm around his wife's shoulders, pulling her tightly to his side as he gazed down at their new daughter.

"Why?" he asked, hating to break the spell that had befallen them but needing to know what was bothering his wife. Shelagh leaned her head on his shoulder, never taking her eyes off the baby.

"I have bathed hundreds of newborns," she started; thumb gently rubbing the infant's knuckles. "And yet I am so nervous to wash her." She looked up at Patrick, biting her bottom lip. "I was a midwife for ten years, and yet every time I go to undress her and hold her over the basin my hands start shaking. What if I hurt her Patrick? What if I accidentally drop her? She's _ours_. I'm so scared that I'll do something wrong." Patrick leaned down, kissing her gently.

"You won't hurt her," he assured her, resting their foreheads together. "But if you're worried why don't we do this together?" He felt his wife nod against him, her eyes staying closed as she held the baby close to her chest. Pecking her once, this time on the nose, Patrick reached out, testing the temperature of the water before standing. "I'm going to warm this a little," he explained, heading into the kitchen. He listened to Shelagh humming softly as he turned on the water heater, giving it a moment before he turned on the taps, filling the basin. When he returned he found her rocking the baby, contentment written in every atom of her body.

"She's so perfect," Shelagh breathed, carefully unwrapping the infant once Patrick was at her side, his arm supporting hers as they held the baby over the basin, Patrick reaching for the wash cloth and gently rubbing it over the newborn's skin.

"That's it little one, you just keep being an angel and your Mummy and I will be finished in no time," he said, missing how tears sprung to Shelagh's eyes at the moniker he bestowed on her. She had been Timothy's mother since their marriage, perhaps even before then if she's honest, but to hear her husband using that name for a child that they now shared together...

"Patrick," Shelagh said, watching the delicate way her husband was bathing the child, his lined and callused hands moving with the utmost care.

"Yes my love?" he replied, eyes darting to his wife as she moved her own free hand, joining his on the washcloth.

"I think we should name her Angela. You've been calling her our little angel since we got her and I just –" She didn't manage to finish the sentence as Patrick kissed her quickly, beaming at her when he pulled away.

"I think that's a beautiful name," he assured her, laughing when their daughter squirmed slightly, opening tired eyes to look up at them. "What do you think, hm? Would you like to be called Angela?" As a response the infant kicked, managing to hit the water and get both of her parents wet.

"I guess she either likes her new name, or hates it," Shelagh giggled, grabbing the towel she had set out on the sofa and pulling the baby away from the water, wrapping her carefully before resting her in Patrick's arms as she took the basin back to the kitchen.

"Well Angela," Patrick began, grinning when he saw the baby tracking his movements a little. "That was your first bath. I think Mummy did just fine, don't you? She'll be playing with you during all your baths now and leaving me out of it."

"I will not," Shelagh countered playfully, sitting down on the couch so that she could lean over her husband's shoulder, stroking a finger over Angela's cheek. "You need Daddy to be there during bath time too. That way you have a bigger target to splash."


End file.
